Name
by alittlenutjob
Summary: Multiple connected stories, published as chapters, established DannyxMindy. I own nothing and write this with the greatest respect for the original creators.
1. Where Everybody knows your name

_"And I know that I have a scar on my back that looks like a swastika, you don't think that's come up every single time I've dated a Jewish guy?"_

_"You have one?"_

_"A jewish guy in my life or?"_

_"No a swasticker."_

_"Yes, the latter."_

_"I didn't ever notice that!"_

_"Well maybe you could get cataract surgery, old man!"_

* * *

"Are you ready for this?" she asked as they listened to the gentle chimes of the doorbell through the door.

"I'm fine," he said as he squeezed her hand.

"Babe, your hands are so sweaty it's like holding to a frog."

"What? How often do you hold frogs?"

"That's actually a pretty interesting story," she began, but stopped abruptly when the door swung open and they were both caught in the intense gaze of a lovely older woman who bore a startling resemblance to her daughter.

"Hi, I'm Danny Castellano," he said, reaching his hand out to shake hers.

"No!" Mindy cried. "Don't shake his hand, he's slippery!"

"Mindy!"

"I'm sorry, babe, but it's true." She stepped forward and her mother's face softened into a warm smile as she wrapped her arms around Mindy.

"I know who you are, we've heard so much about you from Rishi. From Mindy, not so much," Mindy's mother said, her voice rather richer than her daughter's. "Lovely to finally meet you."

"Thanks for having me, Mrs Lahiri. Um, Dr Lahiri." he cleared his throat nervously and looked past her at the gently milling crowd behind her. "I, uh, I'm excited to meet everyone."

"Come in, we've plenty to eat and Mindy can show you around. I need to attend to some hostess duties, but we will talk later," Mindy's mother nodded meaningfully.

As soon as they walked through the door Mindy was swamped with little girls who were presumably cousins asking about her clothes and admiring her handbag. She was swept away, and Danny stood alone in the front hall taking in the scene around him.

"Danny!"

"Hey Rishi, great to see you," he swung his hand out to meet Rishi's as the younger man walked forward.

"Dude, why is your hand damp?" Rishi wiped his hand against his slacks.

"Sorry. So this is your family?"

"Yeah, like all 7000 of us. I find it's easier to just give in and nod at any and all advice offered and keep drinks hidden all over the house in case you get cornered. Are you ready for this?" Rishi asked with raised eyebrows.

"Why do people keep asking me that?"

Two hours and a few more drinks later, Danny stood in Mindy's childhood bedroom looking at brightly colored collages of the cast of Friends and a gigantic BoyzIIMen poster. He felt hands slip through his arms from behind and jumped. "I didn't even hear you come in!" he squeaked.

"Okay, that was a bit dramatic, who else here would sneak up to hug you?" she asked with narrowed eyes.

"You'd be surprised. Your family has been very welcoming. I mean VERY welcoming."

"It was Anisha, wasn't it?" she gasped. "I knew she was a little too interested when she asked what size jeans you wear!"

"You told her what size I wear?"

"Of course not! Don't worry about it, I will sort her out later."

He slipped away from her and moved to her CD rack, he ran his finger across the spines. "There is a surprising amount of Garth Brooks here, Min."

"Well it was the 90's. Everyone had Friends in Low Places."

"No, no, I think it's great. Who knew my girl could do the Electric slide?"

"Okay, that's enough."

"Why aren't these at your apartment?"

"Because, old man, I have all of these on my phone. Why would I need all this plastic when my phone does everything I used to need the library for."

"Okay we've talked about this, libraries are cornerstones on which our culture is built. Where would we be if these fine institutions didn't collect all of human knowledge in one place and then share with anyone.."

She kissed him, "You're making my point for me, old man. But as it happens I agree. Libraries are the shit."

He kissed her back and smiled. "With all the books in this room I figured you spent every Saturday at the library, returning everything you'd read that week, asking for recommendations for the coming week. Reading People magazine."

"How dare you, I was on dates every Saturday. I was very popular."

"You have literally told me a dozen times that you didn't get hot until college. It's why you..." She kissed him silent again.

"Doesn't matter, I'm hot now, aren't I?"

"Yes you are," he grinned. "Hey," he said as he walked up to her dressing table. "What's the R for? It says MRL. Why not MLL? Your ID says your middle name is Lorelai."

"I told you, IDs are meant to be aspirational. And I didn't want to tell you this way, but my middle name is...a family name."

"I have a family name too, it's no big deal."

"My name is Rajnighanda. Mindy Rajnighanda."

"Rajiniganja," he said slowly.

"Ugh, this is "swasticker" all over again. Rajnighanda, not ganja, that's drugs."

"Rajnighanda. I like it."

"Ugh, no you don't. No one likes it, which is why I never tell anyone. You've never told me your middle name, by the way."

"Daniel. My middle name is Daniel."

"What? Then what's your first name?"

"Alan. I haven't used it in..a long time."

"Oh. I'm sorry."

"No, it's okay. I am a little less conflicted about it these days. But I don't really think it's fair to give a kid a family name they have to live up to. Or down to."

"Oh I agree. I'd never throw Rajnighanda at an infant."

"Our kids can have brand new names."

"Whoa, did you just say our kids?"

He blushed darkly. "Yeah. Sorry, just got a little carried away. And I'm a little miffed that my dad recycled my actual name for his daughter. That's weird."

"You're right! Why have we not talked about this before? What is that about?"

"I don't know. I mean I guess it could be a compliment."

"Sure. It does suit her though. So maybe a recycled name isn't all bad?"

"Maybe."

She looked up thoughtfully. "Chloe Danielle Castellano-Lahiri. Danielle Piper Lahiri-Castellano. Hmm.."

"Now who's getting carried away?"

"Sorry, sorry," she stepped closer. "You know, Alan doesn't suit you at all. You're not an Alan. Daniel's a good name. Daniel's a guy who steps up. Daniel's handsome, if a little arrogant."

"Hey!"

She smiled softly. "Daniel is kind. Daniel has completely charmed my family."

"Really?"

"Daniel has charmed me. Daniel is loved. And Daniel is getting lucky tonight."

"I'll get our coats."


	2. Say My Name

_"Yeah, I have a glass of wine every night at dinner for my health."_

_"So Betsy's 24th birthday party must have been the healthiest night of your life?"_

_"Hey man! Those were Jagerbombs alright, not wine? So joke's on you Caste-lamo."_

* * *

"How about Honeybee?" She turned to him with a lazy smile, wrapped in one of his flannel shirts and not much else. Sunday mornings were for spending in bed.

"What do you mean 'How about Honeybee?'" He reached out and touched the fraying collar, rubbing it between his fingers.

"You don't call me anything, Danny!"

He looked puzzled, "Yes, I do. I call you Mindy. Or Dr Lahiri, depending on context."

"No, I mean you've never given me a cute coupley nickname like Schmoopy."

He sat up a bit and leaned back on his elbows. "Schmoopy? What does that even mean?"

"It means if you loved me you would call me something that only you call me."

"I'm not calling you schmoopy. How about sweetheart?"

"You only call me sweetheart when you're patronizing me."

"I don't patronize you."

"Yes you do. Well you used to do it a lot more. But maybe you've come around to the understanding that I'm awesome and nothing you do is superior to anything I could do."

"Name one time."

"That time in the desert."

"I was drunk! And maybe a little mean."

"You're not mean. But you were patronizing."

"Okay so I'm a horrible monster who patronizes you."

"You're not a horrible monster, but you can't call me sweetheart."

"You can't push a man into giving you a nickname."

"I can, and I will. Do you know what Carl calls Gwen?"

"Why would I know that?"

"He calls her Cara Mia."

"Like from the Addams Family?"

"What do you mean?"

"Gomez calls Morticia cara mia."

She propped herself up on one elbow. "Is that what that's from? It's a little less romantic when you put it that way."

"It's actually kinda beautiful. It means my beloved. Do you want me to call you that?"

"No! That's Gwen's name! Doesn't anything about me inspire you to call me something?"

"Like how you used to call me Castellame-o?"

"Danny!" She was fully sitting up now and swung a pillow for his face.

He put his arms up just in time. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Stop hitting me!"

"Why can't you be more romantic like Carl?" She paused, "Yikes I cannot believe I just said that."

"I'm romantic. Well maybe not the kind of romantic like kissing in the rain, but didn't I get the mouse out of your microwave?"

"Danny!"

"I know how much you hate dealing with it and I took care of it for you. Who else would do that? I would like to know how it keeps getting in though."

"I think it's a magical realism mouse. Or a magical realism microwave. I'm not sure I understand magical realism. But that's beside the point. Dealing with an everyday chore is not romantic!"

"And did I or did I not warm your towel on the radiator while you were in the shower last night?"

"I take it back. You're very romantic."

"Now who's being patronizing?"

"You still haven't answered my question."

"Why am I not like Carl?"

"No, why not call me Honey Bee?"

"This is a Beyoncé thing, isn't it?"

"What makes you think that?"

"I listen to you. See? Romantic."

"That's not romantic, that's just being a boyfriend."

"Boyfriend, eh? He grinned widely. I don't think you used the b-word before."

"I didn't think I had to, you're clearly my boyfriend."

"So that's what I call you that no one else calls you. My girlfriend."

"Ugh, you are being purposefully obtuse I swear."

"Honeybee it is then. You shall be my Honeybee," he gestured with one arm grandly to the room.

"No, you can't just agree to something I picked for myself."

"Then why did you even suggest it? Also, what kind of nickname have you picked for me? Boss?"

"How about 'Little Buddy'?"

"Ugh."

"Okay so Sweetheart and Little Buddy are off the table. Although that does sound like a spin off of Honey Boo Boo that I would totally watch..."

"What's Honey Boo Boo? Is that a suggestion?"

"No! I cannot believe you don't know who Honey Boo Boo is. I might as well be dating Larry King. I take that back, Larry King probably knows who Honey Boo Boo is." She flopped back dramatically into the pillows.

"So no Sweetheart, no Honeybee, no Honeyboo and definitely no Little Buddy. And no schmoopy!"

"We're running out of options here, babe."

"Why is this important to you?" he asked earnestly.

She scooted closer to him and nuzzled against his chest. "I don't know. I guess it seems like we have started off part of the way into a relationship. We already knew each other. Well. We saw each other naked long before we had sex. We were friends before we were this. I feel like we missed out on all these couple milestones. I just don't want to miss anything."

He looked directly into her eyes, "Min. Don't you see how much better it is this way? We didn't miss out on anything, we got more than we could have hoped for."

He kissed her jawline, right next to her ear. "The awkward getting-to-know you stuff was out of the way. Our first date wasn't small talk, it was real." He nibbled down her neck. "Our first time together you didn't have to pull your Phantom of the Opera routine." He nipped the skin along her collarbone. "Let me assure you I had a great time."

"I guess," she said uncertainly. "But don't you think there's magic in discovering this stuff?"

"Sure, but there's plenty more we can discover. Speaking of which, there have been some surprises along the way," he raised his eyebrows suggestively.

"Oh my GOD, Danny! You ever never going to let me live that Moody Blues thing down are you?"

"Hey 'Nights in White Satin' is a beautiful song. I was just surprised by how, uh, strongly you reacted."

"What about you? Don't act like I haven't seen you listening to Jhené Aiko when you thought I wasn't around."

"What? She's kinda bluesy. I like it."

"So we still surprise each other. That doesn't stop me wanting something of our own, a little pet name that only you use."

He bent down to her neck again. "How about pumpkin?" He laid a soft kiss right behind her ear. "Pudding."

"Stop, you're being ridiculous."

"Sugar." he kissed her again, and unbuttoned the top button of the shirt. "Sweetiepie."

"No, stop," she said, but she didn't sound irritated anymore.

"Darling," he moved to the next button and stopped to plant another burning kiss right in the hollow of her throat.

"Stop it, you're not getting out of this conversation by distracting me with sex," her voice a little raw now.

"Are you sure?" he unbuttoned the shirt the rest of the way and ran his fingers along her stomach, circling her navel. "Min?"

She leaned back and smiled. Min. It sounded just about right. She reached over and hit her iPod dock and the room filled with familiar chords as Danny smiled and moved back up to kiss her on the lips. "The Moody Blues? Again?"

"Shut up, Dan."


	3. The Worst (Part 1)

**Notes:**

**This is MATURE ONLY. It's part one of a two part piece that will go up by the end of the weekend, and you can skip this part if you don't read Mature. The part 2 actually will stand alone if you want to skip this. You were warned.**

**Written whilst listening to 'The Worst' by Jhené Aiko, which I recommend. As always, reviews are appreciated.**

_"You're engaged, Mindy, you're engaged. Everyone's making fun of my so called loser friends. At least they know to look out for a woman like you. They know to watch out. "_

_"Danny.."_

_"Exsqueeze me?"_

_"Okay, there's a word for women like you. right?"_

_"Oh don't you even dare."_

_"When we describe say a woman of a loose loose quality in a sexual fashion. you know what that is?"_

_"We don't need to name call."_

_"Please say it I dare you to say it."_

_"You are a sl.."_

* * *

He poured his fourth (fifth) scotch. He hadn't turned on the light when he walked in, and even as the sun sank he sat still in the dark.

Every time he let himself feel something, really feel something, for her, it was when lights were low. Perching awkwardly on her bed as she proposed that they kill each other rather than face the future alone, muffled Christmas music seeping through her bedroom door, his heart caught in his throat. Sitting in the half light of his kitchen where Amy confronted them before he had a chance to speak the truth for himself, the acute pain of hearing it from a stranger's lips.

"Danny never looked at me that way."

The strange backlight of the airplane galley where he wove his hands into her hair and put everything on the line.

Darkness felt...appropriate.

Maybe he'd known all along that they'd never survive the light.

* * *

"What do you mean you won't take my name?"

"Danny, what made you think I was going to? It's 2015 and I've built a professional life on being Dr Lahiri."

"You were going to take Casey's name."

"He was really old fashioned. I did a lot of things for him I've never done for you." Her face blanched as she replayed that in her head. "I mean I changed a lot of things for him. Changing for him is exactly why we couldn't be together. You've said from the beginning that you don't want me to stop being me to be with you."

He looked a little grey too. "Well I didn't know you were going to turn that against me. And I don't want to talk about your last fiance. I want to talk about us."

"You fucking brought Casey up!"

"Well I'm fucking sorry I did, then."

"Why are we fighting about this? Does it really mean that much that I take your name? Christina stayed Christina Porter for her profession."

"Actually Christina stayed Christina Porter without telling me. She signed Castellano on things and said Castellano when she introduced herself, but she never legally changed her name. I should have seen that as some sort of sign. She always wanted an out."

"Is that what this is? You need us legally bound so I can't get away? That's horrible."

"No, that's not why I want you to change your name!"

"Then what's happening here? Why are you so adamant that I become another Dr Castellano?"

"Min," he sighed. "I want us to share a name. You know how much family means to me."

"Oh no you don't. Don't you even dare play the broken family card. Being a family is more than sharing a name. I am marrying you. Is that not enough for you?"

"What about kids? How are you going to feel showing up to parents night and explaining 6 times that you are the only member of the family with a different name?

"I wouldn't care," she crossed her arms. "And I don't know why you care. Not to mention, why are you assuming they'd take your name?"

"So nobody gets my name in your scenario? A bunch of Lahiris and me explaining that no one wanted me?"

"Oh my GOD, Danny, how have you turned this into a drama where no one loves you? The kids we can negotiate later, but I am not changing my family name because you think that family and commitment is about the legal trappings."

"I didn't say it was about the legal trappings!"

"You literally just said that Christina didn't change her name so she could extricate herself from you with less hassle."

"Don't put words in my mouth. And I don't want to talk about Christina."

"Well, now I DO want to talk about Christina. I feel like you are always punishing me for things your ex-wife did. I am not Christina."

"I never do that. I never compare you."

"You fucking do! Do you remember when you thought I'd slept with Paul when I was engaged to Casey and you called me a slut?"

"I didn't call you a slut!"

"You very nearly did, Daniel. I remember it very clearly. It wasn't even your business if I had been unfaithful to Casey, but your damage from cheating Christina turned you from my friend into an asshole who shames a woman for her sexual decisions."

"Well this IS my business."

"No, this is my life. You need to get okay with my decisions, all of them, and stop letting what some weird woman did to you a long time ago affect what we're doing right here and now."

"It's my life too, though. We're getting married. I think I should get to weigh in on this."

"You don't want to 'weigh in' on this, you want me to want what you want. And I usually do, but I have a right to decide this for myself."

"Screw my feelings though, right? You know what? Do whatever you want, you always do."

"Well thank you so much for your permission. Fuck you for thinking that putting a ring on my finger means you get to 'weigh in' on my decisions. Here, take it back!" She pulled it off and flung it onto his desk and turned to walk out.

"Are you fucking kidding me, you're just walking away like this right now? You're just quitting?"

"Danny, maybe I am Christina all over again. I just figured it out before I got down the aisle," she said in a dangerously low voice as she opened, then closed the door behind her.

His ears rung in the sudden silence, his blood pounding loud in his ears. He blinked twice and picked up his coat. He didn't even say anything as he walked out. Betsy had to have heard at least some of that and would just reschedule his afternoon appointments.

* * *

The bottle was mostly gone when she knocked. Good. He needed to be numb for this. The problems had started weeks ago, if he was being honest with himself. Today's fight just escalated so fast that he couldn't get control of it. Couldn't get control of anything.

He opened the door and she walked in without saying a word. She walked straight to his kitchen and filled his glass again and knocked it back while he stood at the still open door.

She broke the silence. "Did your electricity get turned off? Why are we in the dark?"

He pushed the door closed quietly behind him. "I didn't really feel like turning the light on."

"Are you seriously drinking in the dark?"

"What business is that of yours?"

"Danny..." she started.

"No Mindy, you made it very clear. What you do isn't any of my business. I'm not your business anymore either."

Her eyes glittered in the dark. "So is that the end of the fight?"

"You threw your ring at me, Mindy. What else do you have to say?"

She looked at him. still standing near the door like he was considering the possibility of running from her. She put the glass down and walked towards him. She really didn't know what to say next. That she was sorry? Was she sorry? That she wanted the ring back? Did she want the ring back?

He took a deep breath as she closed the distance between them, and wasn't even aware that he'd begun to retreat until his heel hit the door. He had to decide now, open the door and go or stay and finish this.

She reached for his face and he flinched. Already he'd thrown up the walls that she'd spent so long taking down. She touched his face near his cheekbone anyway, and she heard him let out his breath, but he didn't soften under her touch.

He reached his hand up to hers and plucked it away from his face, but as he lowered their hands he found that he couldn't let go. She looked down at their hands and he could see the first tear spill down her cheek. They looked back at each other, breathing hard

She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him softly on the lips, then his cheeks and back to his lips. He could feel her tears on his own face now, could see her nostrils flaring as she withdrew from him. As she began to turn he felt her hand begin to slip from his and caught it again, tighter. She looked up at him, alarmed, not unlike the way she looked at him the first time he caught her hand, on a plane, a long, long time ago.

The sight of her eyes so big and filled with emotions he couldn't understand tore his resolve in two. He pulled her close and turned to push her against the door. He leaned in and felt her let go of a sigh as he pressed his lips to hers.

He kissed her hard, angry even. She responded by parting her lips so he could taste her and deepen the kiss. They broke apart, still close enough to share breath, but searching each other's eyes for answers. She brought her hands up between them and bunched her hands into his shirt, trying to hold onto him.

Their foreheads touched and she could see that not all of the tears were hers now. She lunged for him, her lips devouring him, her hands roaming all over his body. She hooked her left leg around him, bringing his hips into alignment with hers and she could feel him growing harder against her. Neither of them said a word as he danced closer.

She began to fumble with his belt buckle while his hands flew to the hem of her sweater and he delicately peeled it off of her. Cool air hit her skin and her nipples tightened in response. He lowered his head and began to flick his tongue against her right nipple through the delicate lace of her bra. She moaned and threw her head back, but he knew she would and caught her head before she hit the door. He moved to her left breast and took her nipple into his mouth, as his hands moved down and began to push her skirt up around her waist. She shuddered as he bit down gently and then moved his hands around to cup her ass. He pulled her against him still bound by his slacks and boxer briefs, but rock hard and straining to be free.

She pushed him away gently and unzipped his pants so slowly he was afraid he'd come right then. He wanted her so much. She pulled his pants and underwear down together and stroked her hands along his legs as she moved back up. She brushed her fingers lightly over his cock as she moved her hands to his hips and began to pull him close again.

He slipped his hands back around to grasp her ass as she drew him to her. They stayed like that for several moments, both asking with their eyes if this was what they really wanted, but neither said a word. He moved aside the silky scrap of fabric that stood between them and pressed into her so slowly her knees almost buckled.

When he was in as far as he could go he groaned and panted. She grabbed his shoulders and tried to pull him even closer as if she could absorb him, surround him so he could feel what she was feeling. He hitched her legs up around his waist and carried her to his kitchen table. In the dark room, with light from the street filtering through the windows onto their faces he made love to her so slowly, both of them seemed to be holding their breath.

He pulled out of her slipped her panties off, then leaned up to begin a trail of kisses from her neck to her navel and finally down to gently explore her with his tongue. He knew what she wanted when he went down on her, and he was briefly seized by the desire to tease her and leave her frustrated. Instead he committed fully and began with butterfly light brushes against her clit, listening intently to the soft noises she made to ensure that he wasn't bringing her along too quickly before he slipped a finger inside her, curling it gently as he pulled it back out. He began moving his tongue faster and her breathing changed as she began the slow tortuous climb to climax. As she came close he could hear her breath hitch and he began to gently suck her clit and added a second finger. He curled them together and as he pulled them out she came with a soft sigh, dancing on his tongue as the aftershocks moved through her.

He lifted his head and watched her chest heave with uneven breaths and then slowly stood again so he could see her face. She was flushed and tears trailed from each eye towards her dark hair pooled around her on the table. He let out a shuddering breath as he realised that she had been crying while he made her come. She looked at him with dark eyes and sat up to pull him to her at the edge of the table. He wiped tears from her face and she looked at his hands blankly then shook her head and moved her hands around to take his cock and position it once again at her entrance. He took her face in his hands and gently kissed the tears from her eyes. She pushed her hips to him, a cue to him to enter her again and this time he thrust into her all in one quick stroke and both of them cried out. He covered her mouth with his, tasting of salt tears. He knew he wouldn't last long and he moved his hand down between her legs to try and help her climax one more time, but she shook her head again and took both of his hands and placed them on her hips. She looked directly into his eyes as they moved together, looking for that vulnerability that she'd worked so long to draw out in him before his walls went up again. She felt his body tense right before he cried out and she tried to hold his gaze, but he threw his head back. His breathing ragged, he drew away from her, and she could see that she missed it, the moment she was looking for where he was open to her again. When he looked into her eyes again he was already hiding. She slid off the table and began to get dressed again.

"I'm sorry, I was wrong to come here," she said with eyes filled with pain.

"Min," he shook his head. He wasn't bothering to get dressed as he'd inevitably get into the shower as soon as she was gone.

She pulled her sweater back over her head and slipped her shoes on. "I'm sorry."

She opened the door, facing away from him, hoping against hope that he'd push the door back to and tell her to stay. Instead he was completely silent and she turned one last time before pulling the door behind her. His eyes were dark and unreadable. He swallowed hard and looked away as the door clicked shut.


	4. The Worst (Part 2)

**Notes: **

**This is for general audiences. It's part two of a two part piece that begins in the previous chapter, but you can read this as a stand alone if you want to skip part one, which is very Mature.**

**As always, reviews are appreciated.**

* * *

Mindy didn't come to work the next day, or the day after. Each morning he went directly to his office and shut the door hoping that everyone would take the hint. Hoping she would ignore it and come barging back into his life the way she always had. But that last night together felt final. It felt like goodbye. Why didn't he follow her?

He heard the door open and his heart rose so fast he thought he might be sick.

"Danny, we need to talk," Jeremy began, pushing the door closed behind him. "I don't know what's happened with you and Mindy, but I do know that she hasn't even bothered to call in sick and you look like you died and are now Manhattan's premier undead doctor."

Danny's head had snapped up so quickly when the door opened, but now he seemed to gently deflate in front of Jeremy's eyes. So humor wasn't going to work. How bad was this?

"Mate, what happened?"

"She left me. We had been fighting more than usual lately, and then she threw the ring at me. She's gone."

"Okay, back up a little. You didn't go directly from a fight to a broken engagement. What was the fight about?"

"I don't really know. It started about her taking my name after the wedding..."

"No! Do you know how expensive it is to reorder signs and stationery?" Then he saw Danny's face and said, "Sorry, go on."

"It turned into Casey made her change, and I'm too dramatic and I hold Christina's mistakes against her..." he trailed off.

"Well, do you?"

"What do you mean? Of course I don't!"

"Maybe you don't mean to, but we've all been on the receiving end of your Christina issues at some point or another. Are you positive that you haven't been thinking a little too much about your first marriage and transferring onto this one?"

"THERE IS NO MARRIAGE. SHE DOESN'T WANT ME!"

"That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard come out of your mouth. From the day you two started sneaking around she's glowed like a pearl. I can tell you right now mate, she never looked at me like she looks at you. I've never seen her look at anyone like she looks at you. Not Tom, not Josh, not Cliff, and certainly not Casey."

"Well it's too late now. You didn't see how she looked at me when she left. Like she couldn't find what she was looking for. She was just...disappointed."

"I take back what I said. THAT was the stupidest thing I've ever heard you say. How on earth can it be too late if you're both still alive?"

"She doesn't want me," Danny said much softer this time.

"Do you want her?"

"I've wanted her since the day we met. Maybe I didn't know right away, but I wanted to be near her. I want her. I'll always want her."

"And do you think so little of her as to believe that she wasn't as fully committed as you?" Jeremy asked frankly. Then, more softly, "She's not Christina, Danny."

"I know she's not Christina."

"Then go tell her. Leave right now."

"I have patients."

"You are not seeing any more patients in this condition. Get out of my practice. Go. Go tell the woman you love that you're SORRY and that you're ready to talk sensibly."

Danny snatched his coat up and started for the door.

"And I'll expect you BOTH back tomorrow. I'm not covering for you any more," Jeremy called out as Danny broke into a run for the elevator.

* * *

"Dr L? Dr L open up, it's Morgan from work!" Morgan fished around in his pocket for a copy of her key that he may or may not have stolen from Danny's jacket that morning. He turned the key in the lock and pushed the door open slowly, just in case she'd finally found her handgun again.

He could see the television was on from the doorway, but the sound was turned all the way down. He scanned the room and couldn't see anything out of place. Last time he'd visited Mindy after a breakup the whole apartment looked like a graveyard for wine bottles, take-out containers, and wadded up tissues. Instead he saw Mindy on the sofa wrapped in an afghan, looking in the direction of the television, but not watching, not really. Her face was dry, but her hair was wet and combed back as if she'd just gotten out of the shower.

"Dr L?" Morgan said tenatively. "You haven't been in the office and I thought someone should check on you. Are you okay? Shouldn't you be drunk?"

She looked at him with haunted eyes. "Should I?"

Morgan's heart broke a little. "Yeah, you should be waist deep in pizza boxes and empty bottles. You should be sleeping with your head in a bucket of Hershey's kisses. You sure as shit shouldn't look like you've bathed recently."

"Hey! I am a little more dignified than that, thank you very much."

"No, you aren't Dr L. You are a wallower. Don't feel bad, I'm a wallower too. A wallower knows his own. Why aren't you wallowing?"

She looked blankly at her hands. "I think in order to wallow you need to feel something."

"What happened, Dr L? Betsy said she heard you and Dr C yelling in his office and then she saw you without your ring, then she didn't see you again. Have you been here the whole time?"

"Not the whole time, no," she said quietly.

"Where's your ring? Did you break up with him? What did he do? I'll kill him. I know a guy who knows a guy. No! I'll do it myself."

"That's okay Morgan, no one did anything. We just didn't know each other as well as we thought we did."

"What are you talking about? You know everything about him. And he knows everything about you. Who do you think corrects your lunch order so that you get a surprise dessert on a bad day? He literally spent 20 minutes the other day explaining to me why you think Rihanna is going to leave a longer cultural legacy that Miley. How does he even know who Rihanna and Miley are?"

"It's a little more complicated than that, Morgan. He asked me to change my name."

"Like... to Sylvia? 'Cause that is weird."

"No, Morgan. He wanted me to change my last name when we got married."

"Is that all? I take you said no?"

"Of course I said no, I am a professional, good-looking doctor. I am not just changing everything about myself because he's old fashioned."

"It doesn't sound like he asked you to change everything. It sounds like he just was excited to finally have the family he always wanted."

"Don't! He tried to use that broken family shit in the argument..."

"I'm gonna stop you there, because I know and you know this isn't 'broken family shit' to him," Morgan said seriously. "And I want you to think hard about what you really love about Dr C."

"Well, we wear the same shoe size," she began.

"Stop it. You can say you don't feel anything, but I know you better than that. Now tell me what you love about him."

"I love how smart he is," she said softly. "I love that he doesn't back down from his stupid opinions. I love that he pays attention to detail. I love that he still reads the newspaper. I love that he can cook and is completely proud of it. I love that he was a chubby kid. I love that he dresses like an old man most of the time but when I take him out somewhere nice he looks like he walked right out of a magazine. I love that when we cross the street he puts his hand in the small of my back and guides me across. I love how much he loves his brother. I love that he's trying so hard to learn how to be part of his Dad's life for the sake of his sister. I love how proud he is of them." The tears started sliding silently down her cheeks.

"And I love the way he looked at me," her whisper turning into soft sobs.

"How does he look at you?" Morgan asked as he pulled her into a big hug.

"When he looked at me I felt like I could fall right into his eyes. Like he'd opened a door and was holding out his hand to pull me in. No hesitation, no fear. He let me in." Her tears were soaking through Morgan's scrubs, her muffled sobs turning into hiccups. "But he shut me out, Morgan. He put up his walls again and I'm on the outside by myself and he's stuck in his own head all alone too. And that's what's breaking my heart."

"See Dr L, I knew you were a wallower. Why did you hold this back? Do you think maybe you built your own wall so you wouldn't have to feel this?"

She hiccuped. "Do you think Danny feels like this all the time?"

"I don't know, Dr L. Why don't you ask him?"

Mindy looked up startled, at Danny standing in the doorway with his coat in his hands.

"I've got this, Morgan," Danny said, his voice hoarse. "My fiancee and I need to talk. Thanks for coming to check on her."

Morgan let go of Mindy and stood to go. "Sort this out Dr C. I don't want to see her crying again. Something bad might happen to you. I know a guy who knows a guy."

Morgan pulled the door shut behind him and slipped the stolen key under the door for them to find later.

"Danny," Mindy began.

"Mindy, I owe you an apology."

"Well let's hear it."

"I just did it," he said with a sad smile.

"Danny, what happened?"

"I don't know. I think you might have been right about me being unfair to you because of stuff that happened with Christina. I know you're right about it actually. I just... I don't know how to separate what happened from what I felt. I don't know what her intentions ever were when it came to me. Not just the name thing, but everything. And I don't know what your intentions are. Not knowing is too scary. What it if all happens again?" Danny was standing close to her now, within arms reach, but he didn't move to touch her. "I know I've got to trust you. I've got to stop second guessing what you really want from me and let you be you. But trusting you is even scarier."

"Danny, you CAN trust me. And I know that you did trust me. Until that night. I went to your place thinking maybe we could just try again, but we didn't talk. I thought just for a minute while you had me on your kitchen table that I could feel what you were feeling too, and you were just as hurt as I was. Then you just shut me out."

He knelt by her sofa and took her hands in his, not daring to look up. "I don't know how to let you in, Mindy. I try and then..." He took a deep breath. "You know how I know you aren't like Christina? Because it never, ever hurt this much with her. Not when I was with her, not when I was without her. This hurts. When I touch you, it hurts. When I can't touch you, it hurts."

"Dan," she said softly. "It doesn't have to. I love you. I want you. I want to be with you. I want to marry you."

He let go of a breath he didn't know he was holding.

"I want to have your ridiculously round kids. I want to put them in dance class against their will. I want to know and love your family as my own. I want to see how hairy you get when we're old. I want to embarrass our friends by arguing loudly at parties. I want to secretly break enough of your dishes that you have to let me buy new dinner wear."

"What's wrong with my dishes?"

"They aren't OUR dishes. I want all of this, with you. Don't let anything that happened to you before get in the way of what we can do now, together."

"I'm so sorry, Min," he looked up finally, directly into her eyes.

And she was falling, his dark eyes pulling her in. She put her hands on his shoulders, as much to steady herself as to comfort him. "I'm sorry I diminished how you felt about the name change. I get why it means so much to you. Maybe I could reconsider. But we've got to talk about it this time, not attack each other. You can't keep running away."

"Please don't. Don't change your name. You don't have to be a Castellano for me to know you're mine. And I'm yours. Maybe I should become Lahiri," he said with a smile.

"You'd never be able to pull it off," she returned his smile and waved away his suggestion. "It takes a certain gravitas to be a Dr Lahiri and you're just too naturally sweaty to really sell it."

"And with that classic 'Danny dig'..."

"Hey! I've told you before, stop stealing my jokes!"

He took her hand and kissed her gently. "Shh. I have something to ask you," he fumbled in his pocket, drawing out the ring she'd thrown at him only a few days before. "Will you please be Mrs Dr Mindy Rajnighanda Lahiri?"

"What you've just said doesn't make any sense, but yeah, I guess I can do that."

They grinned at each other.

"So...Jeremy gave us the rest of the afternoon off."

"Did he? Well I guess we've christened YOUR kitchen table, maybe it's time to..." she squealed as he scooped her up.

* * *

They were a little late for work the next morning, much to Jeremy's irrtation.


	5. (I Could Only) Whisper Your Name

_"Best smile: Dr L!"_

_"I'm sorry, did you just call him Dr L?"_

_"Uh, Dr Leotard."_

_"But I'm actually Dr L."_

_"Oh, yeah, God..."_

_"I've...I've been Dr L for years"_

_"I got it! We will call you Big L."_

_"Big L! That's cute."_

_"That is perfect for you."_

* * *

Danny?

...

Danny?

...

Danny, answer this text. I'm back.

...

I work like 20 feet away from you, why are you texting? Just come in, I'm between patients.

...

I'm not in the office, I'm in the hot pipe room.

...

Why?

...

Why don't you come find out?

"Betsy I'm leaving the office for 30 minutes, can you take messages?" he said as he passed the desk.

"Sure, Dr Castellano."

He checked his phone again. "Um, make it an hour."  
-

"You did WHAT?"

"You heard me, Danny."

"Yeah, I did, but I'm gonna need to hear it again."

"Listen, it's tiny. No one is ever going to see it but you, babe!"

"Please tell me it's not like an anchor or a heart with Mom in it."

"Am I a sailor? Why would I get an anchor? Listen, you're going to love it."

"Ehhh..."

"Don't make that noise. You only make that noise when something freaks you out."

"Well you marking up your body is freaking me out! I'm never letting you go on vacation with Alex ever again."

"Excuse me? First of all, Alex threw me an awesome bachelorette party with sun and sand and drinks and... some jellyfish, but you're lucky I didn't try out half the things she had planned. Secondly 'let me'? Are you kidding me?"

"You're right, I'm sorry."

"And I didn't 'mark up my body'. You make it sound like I'm a 45 year old biker. I got a very small tattoo and you're the only person who is going to see it. Besides! Didn't you try to talk Lucy into a tattoo after dating her for like 20 minutes?"

"It was her idea, I was just trying to engage in conversation with the woman YOU made me date! Do you remember that?"

"And I thank you for that. That date helped Lucy and Jamie figure out that they belonged together, and if that date hadn't happened I'd be marrying Jamie next week and not you."

"Whoa, I think you're misremembering what happened. That guy taught Latin. You were never going to marry him."

"And you own shoe trees. Yet here we are."

"Shoe trees are practical! My shoes never lose their shape."

"Shoe trees are old man paraphernalia of the highest order."

"When you texted me from the hot pipe room this is not how I saw this playing out."

"Danny!"

"Right, like you've never thought about it."

"I can't believe I do this incredibly romantic thing for you and you're trying to turn it into a porno."

"Whoa, who said anything about a porno? And how is you getting a tattoo romantic? Oh God, did you get my name on you?"

"No I did not get your name on me."

"Did you get 'breathe' on your wrist?"

"How would that be a sexy tattoo for you?"

"I don't know!"

"Do you want to see it or not, Danny?"

"Of course. I just... please don't get mad at me if I don't react the way you hoped."

"Lock the door."

"Now that's what I'm talking about."

"Danny! I have to remove some clothing for this and I don't want anyone to walk in!"

"Okay, okay." He turned and locked the door behind him.

She untied the dress at her right hip and slowly moved her hands up to the second tie that was hidden by the first panel as it fell lose from her.

Danny swallowed hard. "What kind of dress is this?"

"It's called a wrap dress and I own like 6 of them."

"I didn't ever notice that."

"Well, to be honest you are usually in a pretty big hurry when you're getting my dresses off."

"What can I say?" he says with a crooked grin.

In one move she slipped the dress off her shoulders, and she stood in front of him in just her lingerie, silky and kind of a purple-pink he didn't know the word for.

He stepped forward and reached out to run his fingers along her garter belt. "This is new."

"Well, I thought, you know, I might put on a bit of a show."

"I knew it! I knew this was a booty call!"

"ABSOLUTELY not. And never say booty call again. Gross!"

"Sorry."

She turned her back to him and started unhooking the belt from her stockings. "Here, you'll have to unhook it at the back."

Okay." His hands shook a little and he couldn't quite get it unhooked.

"Danny," she said gently, "you're not going to tear it, it's just like unhooking a bra."

"Okay." He finally freed the final hook and she slipped the whole piece off and dropped it on the ground, still facing away from him.

"Are you ready?"

"As I'll ever be."

She turned around and hooked her finger under the waistband of her panties, tugging them down just a little to reveal tiny script along her hipbone.

He kneeled down to get a closer look in the dim room. "It's my name."

"No, it's my name."

He looked up at her, "What? It says Castellano."

"Right, and as of next week, I'll be Dr Castellano."

"Min..." he said softly, running his finger over the tattoo like he thought it might not be real.

"I looked into whether I could change my name legally and keep Lahiri professionally, but I need to be licensed under my legal name. So Mindy Lahiri Castellano it is. My mom changed her name and it didn't affect her career."

"You don't have to do this. I don't want you to."

"What are you talking about? We literally almost broke up over this. What are you even saying?"

"I'm saying I don't want you to change anything for me."

She ran her hand lightly through his hair and along his cheekbone. "Danny I'm not changing anything for you. I'm changing for me. I've been changing since the day we met, but not to become skinnier or more cultured or more beneficent. I've just become the best version of myself. You bring that out in me. You always have. The best version of myself is more patient. The best version of myself is stronger and braver. The best version of myself is a little bit you. The best version of myself is a Castellano."

He was perfectly still, kneeling at her feet. She knelt down next to him and looked into his eyes seriously. "Danny, tell me what you're thinking." She could hear him breathing heavily like he was trying to get control of himself. "Dan?"

"I'm thinking... I don't know how you can possibly be better than you are right this minute," his voice low and raw. "I'm thinking even the best version of me couldn't come close to deserving you. But I'll keep trying until the day I die." He slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her up as he stood in one smooth motion.

"And I'm thinking that you're killing me in this pink underwear," he gestured with his free hand and started backing her slowly towards the door.

"The color is called cerise, and this is so not happening in the hot pipe room."

He pressed her against the door and reached out to check the lock again. "The best version of me is a little bit you, Min. I smile a little more. I listen a little better." He slipped his thumb under the waistband of her panties and brushed the raised skin there that marked his name, their name, on her smooth skin. He leaned back and looked at her with dark eyes and a wicked half smile. "And I take more chances."

She leaned into him, her lips close to his ear.

"Well, Castellano? What are you waiting for?"


End file.
